Darron Gibson discusses his Ireland future

28 September 20107,307 viewsNo CommentWritten by Ronan

Manchester United and Ireland midfielder Darron Gibson was carrying out his role as “an ambassador for EA Sports’ FIFA 11″ yesterday by answering questions to the gathered journalists while wearing a sweatshirt emblazoned with the EA Sports logo. Although this was a corporate gig, Gibson answered a variety of football questions, including ones on his position with Man Utd and more pertinently his relationship with Giovanni Trapattoni and his future with the Republic of Ireland.

Ahead of Ireland’s last game against Andorra, Trapattoni stated that he would not start Gibson as he wasn’t playing competitively for his club (a problem that strangely enough did not apply to Robbie Keane). The Ireland manager said “When he stays only on the bench, he doesn’t improve. It’s very important to play. But if you stay and play only a few times, you stay with this shirt but it’s different. I have not said to Gibson: ‘Go or don’t go.’ I say if Gibson was at another club and played 90 minutes, 90 minutes, 90 minutes, he would grow more.”

At the time, Gibson’s response made it evident he wasn’t going anywhere: “If Trapattoni wants me to move on from a club like Manchester United to better my game, move to somewhere like Stoke where I’ll get more games but have little chance of winning anything, then I just don’t know. To what club, other than Manchester United, could I go to improve my game? To be honest, if he’s trying to say that I should move somewhere like Stoke City and change my game to winning tackles and not winning games then he’s having a laugh.”

Yesterday, the matter was brought up again, and Gibson elaborated on the Irish boss’s opinion. “I think, in a way, he’s right in what he’s saying but I think I can learn a lot at Manchester United,” Gibson said. “I didn’t really have a chance to talk to him about it because after the game I went straight home. But I spoke to him on the phone and every thing’s fine.”

Gibson also spoke about the pressure at United, and how he’s trying to break into the team. Something that will also help him break into the Ireland team: “I’m nearly 23 and I need to be playing games. There is a lot of pressure at Manchester United. The manager can’t really afford to throw me in; if we lose I’ll get the blame for it…I don’t think I’d get the blame totally. But if you start to play young players for experience when you’ve got the likes of Giggs and Scholes, people start to ask questions.

“You can only get so much experience from sitting on the bench. You need to play eventually. But the way I see it, if I go in there, score as many goals as I can, play as well as I can every time I play, I think I’ll be a valuable asset. I’d rather be first choice every week. It’s going to take me a while to get there, so I’m not going to give up on it. I think I’ll win more medals at Manchester United than anywhere else and, obviously, if I’m playing for Manchester United then I’ll play for Ireland as well.”

Gibson realises he’s not the first choice back-up to Trapattoni’s preferred midfield pairing of Glenn Whelan and Keith Andrews: “Obviously I’m disappointed with not playing. But Paul Green’s a very good player, he’s proved it in the Championship, he’s scored a lot of goals and obviously he’s playing every week, which I’m not. So I can see why Trapattoni picked him ahead of me.”

“I think that when I play for Ireland I will have to adapt my game. Our defensive record’s very good and has been since Trapattoni came in. He likes his central midfielders to sit back and not really break forward as we do at United so, I think, to get into the Ireland team I will have to adapt my game,” Gibson stated. “But if it’s going to get me in the team and let me play for Ireland then I’ll be happy to do it.”

Gibson is glad to play anywhere or in any style that Trapattoni wants, and will wait patiently on the bench until his opportunity comes. “At the end of the day, it’s the manager’s choice what way he wants to play and his approach has worked for us but as I’ve said, I’m willing to go in and do a defensive job if that’s what he wants of me. If it’s going to get me in the team, let me play for Ireland, I’ll be happy to do anything.”

Hopefully Gibson can get more match action under his belt, and perhaps show Trapattoni the extra spark Ireland are missing in midfield. A solid performance in the upcoming Norway friendly would really increase his chances.